Facade
by GeekRyuu
Summary: What if Bob HADN'T stopped the wedding in time?


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Facade

By Ryuu (karma_aster@yahoo.com**)**

Rating: PG-13

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Summary: What if Bob _hadn't _stopped the wedding in time?

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Disclaimer: ReBoot and all related characters are the property of Mainframe Entertainment and are used here without permission. The author is making no profits from this work and respectfully requests Mainframe's nice legal people to _not_ sue her. She also wishes to remind people that flossing is important in the fight against halitosis and gum disease, so she encourages you to floss daily! Thank you.

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Notes: This is short and evil and it hurts my dear, sweet Dot, so I still can't believe I wrote it. Thanks go to SilverTiger and Fidget, to whom this is also dedicated, for demanding to see this fic, which prompted me to just go ahead and type the blasted thing up. I don't know if I'm ever going to write anything this dark again. God, I hope not.

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"Dot."

She stirred, opened her eyes to find her husband peering down at her. With a slow smile, she sat up. "Bob."

He propped a few pillows behind her back and put a hand to her cheek, bending in to give her a long, lingering kiss, before handing her a steaming mug of java. "Good morning."

"It certainly is," she answered, her smile widening. She took a sip. The events of the previous evening replayed themselves in her mind with a vivid clarity. "Bob…last night was incredible."

Bob gave her an answering grin. "It was rather good, wasn't it?" He took the mug from her hands and set it down on the bedside table, then turned and pulled her into his arms, kissing her with such a single-minded determination that she gave no thought to his odd choice of phrase.

Dot pressed against him, slightly breathless when they broke the kiss. "I can't believe we're actually _married_," she murmured. "It took forever, but we actually did it!"

His hands moved to caress her bare shoulders. "Are you happy now?"

She smiled up at him. "Very happy."

"Good." His hands suddenly tightened on her upper arms. 

Dot winced and looked down. "Bob…please…Bob, you-you're hurting me…" A frightened gasp escaped her at the leer that crossed his face. "Bob?"

"So…was it good for you too, Ms. Matrix?" he growled out.

Dot froze, staring up at him in disbelief and horror. "No…" she whispered. "No, this isn't possible-"

"Really, Dot…I'm surprised it took you so long to figure it out," he said tauntingly. "Losing our touch are we?"

She shook her head, still staring at him with wide, fearful eyes. "No…" she whimpered. "Please…no…"

He raised an eyebrow. "Hmm…I don't recall you saying 'no', last night, my dear."

Dot jerked back, slamming into the headboard. The movement jostled the bedside table, causing the mug of java to topple to the bed. He looked down at the long, brown puddle that spread across the light-colored bedspread. 

"I hope that doesn't leave a stain." He turned to her, the leer once again spreading over his features. Dot shuddered at the sight of such an alien expression on such a familiar, beloved face. "Actually, you were _quite_ good last night, Dot. I was most impressed."

She gasped, the realization finally sinking in. She had…she and _Megabyte_ had…with a strangled cry, she leapt up and ran for the bathroom. She slammed the door and locked it behind her, turning to the toilet just in time to be suddenly and violently ill.

As her heaves began to subside, she heard him knock on the door. 

"Dear?" he said, mockingly, "Are you all right?"

She gave a final heave, and fell back weakly. "Go away."

"But I simply _can't_, Dot," he answered, a note of cruel amusement in his tone. "I _did_ promise to look after you in sickness and in health, you know."

"I'm going to tell them. All of them," she rasped. "You'll have to kill me if you want to keep me silent."

A pause.

"You could do that," he answered, "but will they believe you?"

"What are you talking about?" Dot dragged herself up, her back against the wall. "They're my _family_! Of course they'll believe me!"

"Will they, now?" He chuckled evilly. "After how careful they were to keep anything 'unpleasant' from reaching your ears during your wedding too. Poor, fragile Dot Matrix…so traumatized from leading the rebellion in two wars."

Tears prickled at Dot's eyes. "You're wrong!" she snapped.

"As far as they'll know, you've merely had a complete breakdown, my dear. The stress has finally overcome you, and your accusations are nothing but the demented ravings of a madwoman."

Dot shook her head, the tears starting to run down her cheeks. "No…" she whispered, suddenly realizing just how hopeless her plight was. He was right. He was right about all of it. She buried her face in her hands, a low, anguished moan escaping from her lips. There was no escaping this…no Bob to rescue her at the last moment. Her own shortsightedness had seen to that.

"It won't be so bad, Dot." Megabyte gave another sinister chuckle. 

"After all…we're married now."


End file.
